Accomplishments:
• dramatically increased strength
• reduced body fat and transitioned to a more “toned” look
• learned to implement training program on her own successfully
• learned to control and curb bad eating habits
11/13/2007
My path to acquire the services of a personal trainer was probably similar to many others’. My experience and results, however, far exceed the norm.
I had been a member of Lifetime for about two years, and largely my workout had remained the same throughout: half an hour of weight machines, then half an hour on the elliptical. I couldn’t tolerate the boredom of more than a half hour of either. I wasn’t shocked, then, when my workouts deteriorated this past spring when stress from work and family issues skyrocketed. My gym visits slipped from five days a week to four, then down to three or two. I ate a lot of junk food to cope with anxiety and discontent. I gained weight, lost strength, and felt miserable about the changes, but I was too bored with my workout and too tired from work to reverse the tide. I struggled with bulimia for three years after college, and by June I was at high risk of returning to these habits. But I needed help.
I asked David to train me because I’ve seen his clients’ results. He challenges them to push beyond their perceived limits. He motivated like few others trainers can. Even though training for three months with David would be expensive, I believed it would be a good investment. I was right.
I’d need several pages to discuss all the benefits of training with David, so I’ll instead highlight the most significant. Since I wasn’t overweight- just flabby- my goal was to significantly increase muscle strength and tone. Though I spent probably the entire first month in pain, my strength increased dramatically. After three months, I had doubled the weight on certain upper body exercises. I went from 60lbs on the underhand pulldown to 120lbs. I jumped from 12.5lbs dumbbells for biceps curls (a plateau I’d been stuck on for many months) to a 40lbs barbell. I was particularly weak in my back and legs because I hated training those muscle groups. David devoted half our sessions to lower body, and I progressed from struggling to squat with the 9lbs bar to squatting 115lbs confidently. Walking lunges started with 20lbs dumbbells in each hand for, at best, two sets of 50. We ended with 35lbs dumbbells for three sets of 50.
Yet strength was only one success. Early during my training, David took an hour of his own time to develop a personalized diet plan that was disciplined yet not ridiculous. He also explained the science behind why he chose those foods and portions. I wasn’t looking to lose much weight, but I did want to stop binging on sweets and clean up my diet to trim down. I had some trouble sticking to the diet due to my relationship with food, but I did lose flab over three months. And most importantly, I stopped binging.
David’s ability and commitment to teach impressed me as well. A year ago, I had trained for several weeks with a Lifetime personal trainer, only to fall back into my old routine soon afterwards because I couldn’t remember how to do more than a handful of exercises. I thought I had paid attention, but when I confronted the gym floor solo, I blanked. David made sure this would not happen again. First he convinced me to take notes on weights and reps for each exercise. Further, he explained in detail the setup and proper movement for each exercise. He explained why we trained muscles in a certain sequence and why we varied weights versus reps for different movements.
For approximately the first two months, David led the sessions. He chose the machine, set it up, chose the weights, and assisted with the first rep when necessary. The last month, he transitioned control. I set up the machines and chose the weights. Though he still spotted and offered encouragement, I was largely in charge of the workout. This method ensured that when our training finished I was equipped to continue at the rigor we had begun.
It’s been a little over two months since my sessions with David ended. I continue to follow David’s lifting routine and continue to make progress. I’m back to four or five one-hour workouts per week. I’m enthused about the gym again. I feel confident in the free weight section because I know what I’m doing, and I’m lifting a not-insignificant amount of weight. I’m very proud of my progress– it is much more than I imagined possible in this short time. But then again, that’s why I chose David. I wholeheartedly recommend him to people looking to work hard and see significant results.
Lastly, I enjoyed working with David. He was encouraging, truthful, and even entertaining. I’ve never had so much fun at the gym and am disappointed that I don’t have the funds to continue training with him for years. However, I am confident I’ll continue the regiment we started together.
Thank you, David!
Suzanne Cwik
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